Is it better left Unsaid?
by LordFrieza
Summary: A supernatural phenomenon is nearing time to happen, and there is every chance it will hit Gotham. The potential loss of life is far above what any villain, not from lack of trying, has ever caused. There are several who want to use it, others who want to direct it harmlessly, and then there is the Batman who wants to simply protect Gotham. Will he accept help if it is offered?
1. Tremble

_**Is it better left unsaid?**_

_**Chapter 1 'Tremble'**_

_**'Tremble for yourself, my man**_

_**You know that you have seen this all before**_

_**Tremble little lion man**_

_**You'll never settle any of your score**_

_**Your grace is wasted in your face**_

_**Your boldness stands alone among the wreck**_

_**Learn from your mother**_

_**Or else spend your days biting your own neck**_

_**But it was not your fault but mine**_

_**And it was your heart on the line**_

_**I really fucked it up this time**_

_**Didn't I, my dear?' Little Lion Man by Mumford & Sons**_

Bruce looked at the group as they explained, again, the urgency of finding the cause of this spectral explosion, and putting a stop to it. Finally Constantine took out a normal looking Zippo lighter and flicked it open. At no time did he hit the flint and still it came to life seemingly on its own. The wizard looked at him and drew out a Silk Cut cigarette and lit it with the fire. He then pressed the cigarette to the brick next to him and Bruce watched as the impossible happened. The cigarette began to burn into the brick and then through it.

"This is hell fire mate, and it's dangerous enough. Small amounts like this can be controlled, used, and even useful. Still, you get a large amount of it and it's uncontrollable. It'll sweep through a city and burn the souls out of everyone. Instant death to thousands. That spectral explosion is a lot like that. We don't know what it will do, but it will be bad, and there are going to be thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people suffer because of it. We can tap it off, keep it from happening here, and maybe even get it to happen where there is no potential loss of human life. But we can't do it if you decide to be a tosser," Constantine said.

"What my husband means is that you need us as much as we need you," Epiphany stated.

"How long is it going to take to find the cause?" Bruce asked.

"If I can get to an area filled with a strong spiritual presence it shouldn't take long at all. Somewhere filled with misery, anger, hate, and basically every negative emotion in existence is going to be best," Xanadu said.

"We need access to Arkham Asylum," Zatanna stated.

"Not happening," Bruce said firmly.

"It's the only place full of past and present misery, and I know there are dozens upon dozens of spirits walking the halls in there. We could use that potential energy to find the spectral explosion in a matter of minutes," she replied.

"What about a cemetery? Isn't that more the traditional style?" he asked.

Epiphany rolled her eyes. She looked at her bag and began rifling through it.

"What are you doing?" Bruce asked.

"We don't have time for this. We need in there, you're going to be an ass, so I'm going to do something about it," she said.

No sooner had she let that slip than Bruce was in front of her, forcing her hands out of the bag, and behind her back. She cried out in surprise as her face was shoved against the rough brick of the brownstone apartment building they were next to.

"You do not come into my city, threaten me with magic, and expect to get away with it!" Bruce seethed through clenched teeth.

"Let go of her!" Constantine shouted as he rushed toward Bruce only to get a quick jab to his throat causing him to fall to the ground and gasp violently for air.

Zatanna began to say something, but a glare from Bruce caused her to shut up and step back.

"You're new, so I'm going to say this once, and once only. Never, ever threaten me or any of my associates with magic. It will be stopped by any means necessary," he said as he let go of her arm.

"You're a bloody loon! I told them a man dressing up like a damned bat and beating criminals senseless was a loon, but they insisted on your help!" Epiphany shouted.

"Pip, stop," John said with a raspy voice as he finally got up.

"John is right Epiphany. There's a reason Batman reacted that way, and there's been a promise to never attempt to cast magic, or us magical means on him again,"Zatanna said.

The blue haired Alchemist narrowed her eyes at Zatanna and then at Batman. She breathed out an even breath trying to keep from saying something she was certain would get her into trouble, or at the very least would cause them even more trouble. Despite doing this the desire to tell the Batman off and let him know exactly what she thought of him, and his reaction was almost too powerful to overcome. Instead she looked at John and decided that it was worth playing nice for the moment. If nothing else it would give John the time he needed to work the suggestion magic enough to where Batman would allow them to visit this Asylum.

Bruce watched the hard eyes of the young blue haired woman. He knew determination when he saw it, and it was evident there on her face. He had seen the same expression on Zatanna's face before when she had helped him track down the killer of an assistant friend of hers. He turned back to Zatanna who was studying him and studied her for a moment.

"Batman, I know how you feel about magic..." she began.

"Yes, you do. You personally know how I feel about magic don't you?" he said with a voice so hard and cold it sent shivers down her.

"What happened was to protect you," she said.

"It was never to protect me. It was to hide the fact of what you had done. It was to hide the fact of what the entire League decided to do, and that decision came back to haunt us all," he replied.

She stopped knowing what he said was true. When she tried to wipe the memory from his mind it had been a mistake. She knew it and she regretted it to this day. It didn't make it any easier that he was standing there and basically at the same time standing in the way of saving an untold amount of people because of the actions she had taken a few years ago.

"I'm sorry for what happened," she said.

"I'll contact Dr. Fate and have him search for this spectral explosion. All of you get out of Gotham," he said as he turned around.

"Yeah right. I'll bloody well go where I want tosser," Epiphany said.

"Do not test me! Get. Out. Of. Gotham. Now!" he exclaimed.

Epiphany shrunk back from his outburst.

The moment he left Zatanna looked at the others and sighed.

"Is it possible for Shade to get us into the Asylum?" she asked.

"Not without causing the madness inside of it from taking him over. It would be worse than when he went into Denbigh Asylum. That place was bad enough, and they didn't have the kind of craziness that is in Arkham. If we're getting in we have to do it through Batman," Xanadu said.

"I might be able to weave a bit of suggestion magic, but depending on how strong his will power is it might not work," Constantine said.

"Do it, and while you're at it I'll see if there is anyone I can contact that might be able to talk some sense into him," Xanadu replied.

(The Narrows - Saint Micheal's Cathedral)

A beautiful young woman looks at the ornate designs on the ancient looking crucifix hanging on the wall. She lightly brushes the hair away from her left eye and smiles softly as she hears someone walking up behind her.

"Something bothering you my child?" an elderly voice asked.

"No, I am simply admiring the crucifix hanging on the wall. It's quite beautiful," she replied.

"Most symbols of faith are," the voice replied, "Have you ever visited us before?"

"Once, a long time ago I visited, but it has been years since I've been back," she said as she turned and faced him.

Even as a man of the cloth he couldn't help but take in the exquisite beauty she was. There was a hint of middle eastern ancestry in her features, he was certain, and of course there was also what appeared to be a bit of Romanian there as well. He smiled gently at her and watched as her eyes seemed to look into his very soul before she smiled gently and spoke again.

"I am an ambassadress for my father. He, like myself, hasn't been in Gotham for a long time. He wanted to visit a few places that are, special. This church will undoubtedly be something he would like to visit. Knowing him as I do he would want to do so privately. Would that be possible?" she asked.

"Of course my child. I will need the date he would like this to happen, and I am certain I can clear it for him to have a few hours' time in the chapel alone," the elderly man said.

"Thank you," she said before she stepped outside and took out her phone.

"Father, I have checked the cathedral, and it is as you said. There is much sadness inside. Will it be suitable for your mystic?" she asked.

"I believe so. You've done well Talia. I shall consult Tala and find the date of the spectral explosion. Every other plan the detective has stopped, but this is beyond his abilities. If we can tap into this energy we can save this world and reduce the population at the same time," Ra's said over the phone.

"Yes father. Father, what about my beloved?" Talia asked.

"His actions will determine wither or not he shall live through this. If he is to become my heir than he will, and he will take your hand," he said.

"Thank you father," she replied.


	2. Empty

_**Is it Better Left Unsaid?**_

_**Chapter 2 'Empty'**_

_**Driving faster in my car**_

_**Falling farther from just what we are**_

_**Smoke a cigarette and lie some more**_

_**These conversations kill**_

_**Falling faster in my car**_

_**Time to take her home,**_

_**Her dizzy head is conscience laden.**_

_**Time to take a ride it leaves today**_

_**No conversation**_

_**Time to take her home her dizzy head is**_

_**Conscience laden**_

_**Time to wait too long, to wait too long,**_

_**To wait too long.**_

_**Too much walking shoes worn thin**_

_**Too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin**_

_**Time to catch her ride it leaves today,**_

_**Her name is what it means**_

_**Too much walking shoe worn thin. 'Big Empty' by Stone Temple Pilots**_

(Zatanna's Home - Gotham Park - Library)

Xanadu looked at the crystal ball sitting on the table. Unlike the false readers in the world her crystal ball was able to see the future, the past, and even peer into souls of those she needed to know about. She studied the ball and could see the darkness of the spectral explosion, but she couldn't see where it was going to happen. Zatanna's home didn't have enough spiritual power in it to uncover the location of the spectral explosion, or the exact date. She could only hope that the others was having more luck than she was.

(Zatanna's home - meditation room)

The sound of her heart beating was the only sound in the room. Zatanna listened to the emptiness around her and let her spirit guide attempt to show her the place of the spectral explosion, but it wasn't happening. In truth she wasn't in the right place to access her spirit guide. She needed to be completely relaxed, not thinking about anything, and at the moment she was too worried. She was worried about the spectral explosion, worried about stopping it, but in truth she was worried about Bruce. She knew that he was upset, and she knew why. After all, she had erased his memory, and in doing so she had caused a huge rift between them. It was no secret that they had been close before. When she was younger she would fantasize about becoming his wife, of living with him, helping him, and having children that she could teach about magic. Slowly that dream began to fade as she realized how distant Bruce was with everyone. She stayed a close friend to him right up until she altered and erased part of his memory.

"It really was for your own good Bruce. I wanted to protect you. I wanted to protect you as much as the others did. I'll admit that what I did was wrong, but it was because I cared so much for you," she thought

She looked toward the wall and knew that her spirit guide wouldn't be coming. There was no way to make the connection while she was this distracted.

(Zatanna's home - Bedroom)

Epiphany moaned in delight as John weaved the tantric sex magic. He had drawn the enchantment circle and added a drop of his blood to enhance the spell. A moment later she found herself in the middle of the circle with him with her clothes off writhing and moaning as he did delicious things to her. She felt their bodies levitating off of the ground and could sense the power of the circle increasing. Unlike with most magic the tantric sex magic was able to pull in the energy it needed from the release of sexual energy. Images began to flash through her mind as the magic began to build. She threw her head back and let out a throaty moan.

"John, God YES!" she screamed.

"Hold it off love," he said.

She knew what he meant. They needed to hold their orgasms off until everything was revealed to them. She needed to wait, to not focus on the delicious things he was doing to her, and instead focus on the spectral explosion. She tried, really tried, but the moment his hand ran from the small of her back to cupping her ass she lost it. She felt her entire body become ridigid with power and the spell reached the height it was going to reach and then fell. Both her and John fell to the floor in a lump.

"At least... At least we know when it is going to happen," John said.

Epiphany nodded and tried to catch her breath. She felt her entire body tingle from the amount of magic and energy that has passed through them. She slowly sat up and could see that John was sweating like she was. She felt the streams of sweat rolling down her skin and dripping toward the floor. Slowly both she and John stood up. He pulled her against him and kissed her before smirking.

"Like I said love, tantric sex magic. It works better than almost any other kind of magic," he said.

They began to get dressed, but slowed as they noticed that the circle had remained charged. John looked at it and sat down in the middle of the circle. He closed his eyes and stretched out his hands letting the feeling of the charged energy move in toward him. It tickled down his arms and he felt the warm of it surround him. Suddenly visions filled his mind. He saw every time he and Epiphany had made love, fucked, and just had a fun romp, yet there was something else behind all of the fun. He moved passed the images of what had been done, would be done, and would have to try until he saw a dark force. It stood over a minature city with its hand outstretched. John tried to make sense of it until he realized that it wasn't a minature city, but rather it was a normal sized one, and the dark force, the dark figure was actually giantic. The city came into focus and he could see it wasn't one, but several cities together. There was London, Gotham, Metropolis, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and dozens of other cities. The dark force swiped at them causing explosions, instant death, and a deep laugh erupted from the form. John then looked closer and at the feet of the form was hundreds of costumed heroes. All of them in various stages of decay. He wanted to turn from it, but he couldn't. Instead he felt a pair of hands touching his shoulders.

"It's beautiful isn't it love?" a familar voice said.

"Rosacarnis, what are you doing here?" John asked.

"Is that all you have to say? After all I was the mother to three of your children John. Such fine children, well except for Maria. She's followed in her father's footsteps. It's a shame really. She believes that she can obtain a normal life by attempting to live like you. She's foolish isn't she?" Rosacarnis asked.

"Speak your reason for being here demon," John demanded.

"I'm here to watch John. I've been contacted by a mystic, and I've been asked to help prepare the spectral explosion. Of course if the mystic had spent a little more time studying me, my father, and perhaps our realm she would know that she needed to be completely specific. Instead she only hinted at what she wanted. Such a shame..." Rosacarnis replied.

"What do you know?" John asked.

"No, I'm going to just answer you John. I have demands to be met for information. I want a child again. I want another child to grow inside of me that I can unleash upon the world. A true terror and blight for mankind that will rip through and separate the wheat from the chafe, and no John... I don't want you to be the father. I haven't chosen yet, but I know that if you want my help you'll provide me the willing consort," she said.

"Forget it. I not going to willingly send someone to what equates to a third level succubus," John said.

"I AM ABOVE THOSE LOWLEVELS! I AM ROSACARNIS DAUGHTER OF NERGIL! DUTCHESS OF THE SEVENTH LAYER OF HELL!" she screamed.

"And I'm John Constantine who has beaten your father a dozen times. I don't feel like having this conversation any longer love," John said before he opened his eyes and caused the vision to vanish.

"What happened?" Epiphany asked.

"I know a good deal more about what's going on. We need to talk to Xanadu, and we need to contact the Batman," John said.

(Wayne Enterprises - Bruce's office)

Bruce looked at the woman who had just entered his office, walked across the floor, and taken a seat across from him. She was graceful, but then she had always been graceful. He couldn't say that he never loved her. In truth he had been deeply in love with her for a long, long time, and he still loved her. He even once wondered if they would have been together by now. Perhaps married, with a child or children, but her devotion to her father had kept that from happening. He turned off the intercom and studied her for a moment.

"Talia, what are you doing in Gotham?" he asked.

"I am here because of you my beloved. I want only to spend some time with you," she said.

"Are you here because of Ra's?" Bruce asked.

"Beloved, you cut me with that question. I am here, now, with you because I love you. Bruce, I have never stopped loving you, and I know you have never stopped loving me," she said.

She stood and walked toward him. Gently she laid a hand on his chest indicating that she wanted him to remain seated and she gracefully took a seat in his lap. She turned toward him and kissed him with a light greeting kiss, before it became more passionate. She felt his hands move to the fullness of her hips. She broke the kiss for a second, "How I've missed you my beloved,"

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel anything for her. His own body was responding to her as it had when they tried to make a relationship work before. His hands caressed her full, tight, and all to wonderful bottom only to move up and feel the softness of her back. She surprised him again by not wearing a bra, but then Talia's normal uniform didn't call for one. She moved changing her possition from simply sitting on his lap to straddling him. Her breath became ragged, deep, and full of pent up passion and frustration. She kissed him again and this time it was different. This wasn't Talia simply trying to seduce him. He knew that she was hungry for him. She needed him, and that perhaps she was telling the truth that the reason she here, now with him was because she truly did want to be with him. She pulled away from him and he saw something in her eyes that surprised him. It was the look of lust mixed with love.

"I am yours beloved. I've never stopped being yours. Please, make us one," she asked as she leaned back against the desk.

Bruce looked at the shape of her as she moved until she was seated on the desk. His hands moved forward and touched the pearl buttons on her white silk blouse. Slowly each button opened revealing her flawless skin. He leaned forward kissing down her neck and could feel her entire body shutter with each kiss. She let out a breathy moan as he found her breasts.

"Bruce... Please..." she moaned.

The door flew open and Talia quickly grabbed her shirt and pulled it close.

"Mr Wayne, I tried to stop him," a red headed secretary said.

Bruce narrowed his eyes at the man who was standing in the office.

"That's fine Veronica," Bruce said.

"Hello Detective," Ra's said.


	3. Beginning and Ending

_**Is it better left unsaid?**_

_**Chapter 3 'Beginning and Ending'**_

_**Closing time**_

_**Time for you to go out to the places you will be from**_

_**Closing time**_

_**This room won't be open till your brothers or your sisters come**_

_**So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits**_

_**I hope you have found a friend**_

_**Closing time**_

_**Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end**_

_**I know who I want to take me home**_

_**I know who I want to take me home**_

_**I know who I want to take me home**_

_**Take me home - Closing Time by Semisonic**_

(Wayne Manor - Library - six hours after the 'meeting' with Talia)

Bruce paced back and forth as he tried to put the events happening together in his mind. It wasn't like Ra's to come and see him so soon before one of his plans was to be unleashed. The man was many things, but sloppy wasn't one of them. Obviously there was a situation which made him deviate from his plan. The only situation, based on the information at hand, was that Talia had not been told, or specifically allowed to come and visit. Talia was a grown woman, but in Ra's eyes she was still far less than a suitable heir. She was faulted because of gender, which was complete bullshit, and thus it was the reason Ra's wanted a competent successor. Talia wanted it to be him, and Ra's had given his blessing over their union if she could ever draw him in.

Instead today Ra's arrived to find both he and Talia in an awkward position. With Talia's shirt open, her panties off, and her skirt moved up almost around her waist there was no doubt the two of them had come as close to intercourse without going through with as anyone, to his knowledge, had ever come. Bruce stopped his pacing and looked at the books he had selected from the library and groaned. Each of them was basic mythology, beliefs and rituals on spectral magic, but none of them specifically had anything about a spectral explosion. Ra's being here and the spectral explosion couldn't be simple coincidence. He was certain that the two were tied, and more than likely it was Ra's wanting to use the spectral explosion for something.

His earlier attempt to contact Dr. Fate had revealed that the mystic was half way across the world aiding Jason Blood with a vampire outbreak which had been brought on by a cursed object. The two of them was attempting to stem the problem, repair the damage, and then return. In short there was no way for Dr. Fate to come back and take care of the spectral explosion. That left Zatanna, Xanadu, John and Epiphany Constantine, and Shade the changing man. He knew they hadn't left, but instead they had went to Zatanna's home and was attempting to get any kind of information they could on the spectral explosion. He knew that talking to Zatanna would be the easiest way, but at the same time he needed someone closer for this.

The only other person in the league who had dealt with magic was Diana. He trusted her, and he knew that she wouldn't betray that trust. He really needed someone to help him look at his objectively and see what angles he hadn't covered. Diana was that person. After a few minutes of debating he decided to go ahead and contact her.

"Batman to Wonder Woman," he said as he tapped the communication device.

"Hello Batman, how may I help you?" a soft soothing voice said.

"Are you busy?" he asked.

"No, why?" she asked.

"I would like to have you go over something with me. I could use a second set of eyes, and preferably someone who has had dealings with magic. Are you on the Watchtower?" he asked.

"No, I'm over Gotham at the moment, Tell me where you want to meet and I'll meet you there," she said.

"Meet me where we went over the rules," he said cryptically.

(Twelve minutes later - Rooftop across from Ice burg Lounge)

Diana looked down at the people she had seen two years ago. Granted they weren't the same exact people. She was fairly sure those people still frequented the Ice Burg lounge, but these people seemed the same. They all had the same happy expression, oblivious to the horrors the night could possibly throw on them. In a way perhaps the saying she had learned here, or rather in her time here, was correct. Perhaps Ignorance was bliss. These people seemed to live happily without knowing the worries of the world. She sighed and heard the faintest of footsteps behind her.

"I was wondering when you would show. I'm not used to having to wait very long," she said.

"There was something I had to take care of on the way here. A punk with a gun that knows fear a little better," Bruce answered.

He walked near her and handed her a leaflet of paper. She took it, not sure what it was, and examined it for a moment. The writing was a logical process attempting to explain a supernatural occurrence. It was similar to hearing a machine, like Red Tornado, explain a miracle. She realized that it was Bruce's thoughts on the paper, and he was attempting to understand something that was happening or going to happen. A small sigh escaped her when she realized this was him basically saying it was far too big for him to handle alone.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked.

"A spectral explosion? What I know of it is limited to some ancient tales. Places where tremendous energy escaped from the ground and killed hundreds of people. I've never seen it, and like I said I've only heard some old tales," she said.

"Who told them?" he asked.

She looked at him confused, but at the same time wanting to help. She thought back and remembered how her mother had told her the stories of these strange explosions.

"Mother, she told me when I was a child. It was stories she would tell me when I was preparing to go to bed. She would come in and softly tell me the story of how an entire army was defeated without anyone lifting a single sword. A scout had seen the army at least a weeks ride away, and she reported it back. Mother prepared the other sisters for a battle that would never happen. A week came and went, yet the army never arrived. Finally the scout was sent back out, and they reported that the entire army was dead. They appeared to have died a few days before. Mother explained that when those men died there was a large light which erupted from the ground and shot straight up into the heavens. She told me that some of the sisters could swear they heard screaming, crying out, and pain filled moans from that light," Diana said.

"The scout that examined the bodies, is she still alive?" Bruce asked.

"Yes, of course she is. She's on Themyscira along with all of the others. Why?" Diana asked.

"Diana, that scout is the only person who I can talk to that has any kind of information that may be relevant to something I've been informed is going to happen. At the same time I believe that someone is attempting to direct where it is going to happen. Maybe there is something that scout saw, noticed, smelled, anything that could help me determine where this could be happening at," Bruce said.

"I'll contact mother and ask for Aello to retell everything that happened when the light appeared," Diana replied.

"I would like to interview her," Bruce said.

"Bruce, you know how my sisters feel, and what the gods feel about men on the island," Diana warned.

"I don't have to touch the Island princess," he said.

(Near Arkham Island - the bridge connecting it to Gotham)

Epiphany, Xanadu, Zatanna, John, and Shade stood looking at the bridge. Shade held himself and shook his head.

"The madness is there. I can feel it even from here I can feel it. It wants inside of me again. It's cold fingers are digging into my brain. I... I can't stay here," Shade said before he blinked out of existence and simply disappeared.

"I said that he wouldn't do it," Epiphany stated.

"It was a long shot, but one we needed to take anyway," Zatanna said.

"We need inside of the Asylum. There is no greater place of sorrow, misery, and madness in all of Gotham. I doubt that there is in the entire world. If we can get inside of Arkham we can find out when the spectral explosion is going to take place and maybe we can even direct it away from Gotham. I wouldn't doubt that we could cause it to happen in the middle of an uninhabited island," Xanadu said.

"How are we going to do it then? I don't think that Bats is going to listen, and he's a might to fast to cast any kind of spell on him," John said.

"Couldn't we try weaving your suggestion magic through a tantric sex ritual? You've said how powerful it is before," Epiphany suggested.

"Yeah, it's powerful, and the problem is that if we tried to amplify the suggestion spell through that ritual it wouldn't be just the Batman we would affect. It would be the entire city. Think about it luv, how would those looneys in the asylum work to get us in there? They would do everything possible they could to make Batman beg us to come with him. We can't do that," John said.

"Is there another way? Perhaps someone else we can ask?" Xanadu asked.

"We could try Wormwood. It's another long shot, but I know Nergil and Rosacarnis are mixed up in this. Wormwood has no great love for Nergil, and actually he would prosper by Nergil failing. It would give him a chance to claim those souls instead. I don't like messing with a demon, but Wormwood is a business man first and foremost," John said.

"What would he want?" Xanadu asked.

"Our word that we wouldn't interfere with him attempting to claim the souls that would have been affected here," John answered.

Xanadu closed her eyes and tried to reach into the future. It was hard without the crystal to focus on, but she still attempted to do it. Slowly the visions began to set in. She could see the city tearing itself apart. People raping, killing, stealing, and doing it all to each other. Laughing at it was a huge obese demon. He stood in a pinstripe suit looking at the city below him chuckling at those who had been swayed by his presence.

"No, we can't use him. I know what he would do," Xanadu said.

"Yeah, I know too, but he might be our only option," John said.

"I refuse to believe that. There has to be someone else, anyone else we can talk to," she said.

"There is Death and Destiny. Death might be swayed to give us the where we need," John said.

"How do we get in touch with her?" Zatanna asked.

"We go where someone is dying luv. We have to go where someone is dying," he answered.

(Valestra's shipping Warehouse)

Ra's looked at Talia and paced back and forth. His daughter was to go and see Wayne, and throw him off. It shouldn't have bothered him that she was doing it with her body. The problem was what he had seen in her eyes. She was in love with Wayne. She loved him, and wanted to be with him. The last thing he needed was for even the slightest possibility for her betrayal.

"Explain to me how you planned on bringing Wayne into our plan," he said.

"I was going to give myself to him," she said.

"A plan that has failed," he said.

"No, father it is not. It is a plan I have never tried. I've given him my body before, but I've never given him myself. More to the point I've never completely submitted to him before. If I do so I know that I can reach him in a way I can't now," she said.

"How can you reach him?" he asked.

"I will be a part of him. I will have his ear and his heart. He will listen to me, understand that our goals are not so different. We want to protect the world in much the same fashion he wants to protect Gotham. In essence by following us, by understanding that for the common good some must die, and by having me there to help him with it he would come to us. To cement things between us I would give him a child. A boy to carry on the legacy of his father and grandfather," she said.

"Or, he may reach you. By giving yourself completely to him he would have your ear, your heart, and in time your mind. His desire to save the city, and the world would reach you. When that happened I would not only have the detective to worry about, but I would also have the problem of someone who knew our secrets, our plans, and our world against us. You would become a dangerous thorn in my side, and one I would be forced to remove. Do not cause me to strike out Talia," Ra's said.


	4. Timing

_**Is it Better Left Unsaid**_

_**Chapter 4 'Timing'**_

_**Cause I got the real love**_

_**The kind that you need**_

_**Youll come running back (said you would, baby)**_

_**Youll come running back (I always said you would)**_

_**Youll come running back, to me**_

_**Yes time, time, time is on my side, yes it is**_

_**Time, time, time is on my side, yes it is**_

_**Oh, time, time, time is on my side, yes it is**_

_**I said, time, time, time is on my side, yes it is**_

_**Oh, time, time, time is on my side**_

_**Yeah, time, time, time is on my side - Time is on my side by the Rolling Stones**_

(Batcave - fifteen minutes later)

Aello looked around herself uncertain of the place she was standing in. The fact that Princess Diana and Queen Hippolyta told her that she would still safely be present on Themyscira didn't honestly help to alleviate the apprehension she felt. She instead could see, smell, and hear everything in the massive cave she was now standing in. She turned to see a shadowy figure standing behind her, and she forced herself to not show the worry she felt building inside.

"Aello, it is good to see you again sister," Diana said.

The Amazon scout turned toward Princess Diana and bowed. She smiled and then turned back toward the figure which looked at home in this place.

"Princess, how am I here and on Themyscira?" she asked.

"It's called virtual reality. Your body is still on Themyscira, but your mind has been shown the interior of this place. You can interact, to a degree, with the environment," Diana stated.

"Aello, we have some questions about the scouting you did when you found the army bound for mother and all of you dead. What do you remember?" Diana asked.

"I remember everything. I remember traveling until I came upon their camp. There lay well over a thousand soldiers. They each looked as though they had been witness to the very depths of Tartarus. Each and every head of hair had turned completely white, and their eyes was pale. There was no color to them at all. I searched over them to see if any escaped this fate, but none had. In truth everything for nearly a days journey had died. All of it, the animals, the army, even the insects seemed to be the same," Aello said.

"What about the light?" Bruce asked.

She looked toward Diana who nodded.

"We all saw it. It stretched from the ground to the very heavens. At first we wondered if it was one of the gods, but it faded after a few moments," she said.

"Is there anything else that happened?" Bruce asked.

"The ground shook around us. We felt the tremors of the Earth for several hours afterward," she said.

Bruce took note of what she had seen. Every detail told him the potential of what could happen here. The entire city could be engulfed within this explosion and when it was everything would die. It wasn't a villain he could stop, it wasn't an organization that could be dealt with, but instead it was a natural, or rather supernatural, occurrence he had no control over.

"Was there any smell that happened before the light?" he asked.

"Yes, there was the smell of burning sulfur. It was thicker the closer to place where the army had been," she said.

"Did it come suddenly or gradually?" he asked.

"It built over time. We began noticing it a few hours before the light shot up," she said.

He nodded and then looked at Diana. She smiled at the sister and walked toward her.

"Thank you Aello," she said.

"It is my place to serve," she said as she bowed.

A moment later the hard light construct that made up Aello's secondary body disappeared indicating that the virtual reality matrix had been disconnected. Bruce walked toward the computer and began inputting everything Aello had told him into the fragmented pieces of what he already knew.

"You fear it will happen here don't you?" Diana asked.

"Why wouldn't I fear it, Princess?" he asked.

"Bruce, if it is to occur here there is every chance in the world you could evacuate the city," she said.

"It would take more than a few hours to evacuate everyone from the city, and there is every chance people would be missed," he replied.

"The League could help ensure everyone is removed safely," she said.

"No," he replied.

"Hera, Bruce we are your friends. It wouldn't be for any reason other than to ensure the safety of every life here," she said.

"Having the entire league here would only stir confusion. People would panic, and it is even more likely someone would be left behind," he replied.

"What about having Kal..." she began before he turned toward her.

"Having him scan the city? If this spectral explosion is going to happen here it means magic is building up. Superman is weak against magic. If he was caught in the blast it would kill him. There is every chance the magic could affect him in any number of ways. It would too dangerous to have him here. West is too immature to handle an evacuation, John and Shayera have patched things up between them. That means they would be more focused on each other's safety than the mission. It would make them sloppy," he said.

"What about me?" she asked.

"You couldn't evacuate everyone by yourself," he answered.

"And you could?" she asked as she quirked her eyebrow.

"If there's enough time I may not have to," he replied.


	5. Suffer

_**Chapter 5 - Suffer**_

_**Did you ever see the concrete stares of everyday?**_

_**The lunatic, the hypocrite, are all lost in the fray.**_

_**Can't you see their lives are just like yours?**_

_**An unturned stone, an undiscovered**_

_**Door leading to the gift of hope renewed, eternity for you.**_

_**The masses of humanity have always had to suffer.**_

_**The businessman whose master plan controls the world each day**_

_**Is blind to indications of his species' slow decay.**_

_**Can't you see his life is just like yours?**_

_**An unturned stone, an undiscovered**_

_**Door leading to the gift of hope renewed, eternity for you.**_

_**The masses of humanity have always had to suffer.**_

_**People blow their minds (they choose to resign)**_

_**This deformed society is part of the design.**_

_**It'll never go away (it's in the cards that way).**_

_**The masses of humanity have always, always had to suffer!**_

_**A door leading to the gift of hope renewed, eternity for you.**_

_**The masses of humanity, still clinging to their dignity,**_

_**The masses of humanity will always have to suffer.**_

_**Always have to suffer. Suffer by Bad Religion**_

(Rat City - Deep Alley - Narrows - Gotham)

Tim checked the holographic display from his micro computer through the lenses in his mask again. The information was correct and there was traces of the chemicals from the Lazarus pits mixed with sweat. The micro computer connected to the lenses quickly did a scan of the sweat and found small traces of DNA belonging to Ra's. It wasn't strange for the underworld to know of the global terrorist being in Gotham, but it almost seemed to easy to get the information. Ra's didn't attempt hide his presence. He wondered if Ra's wanted to bait the old man. It was possible, there was a mixture of respect and rivalry between the two of them.

"Steph, you hear me?" he asked.

"I certainly do boy wonder, or should it be man wonder?" she asked on the other end.

"Cute, look the information was good. Ra's is in Gotham, but something's not right about all of this. We usually have to work a lot harder to find a connection to him," Tim replied.

"Maybe you're just getting better than Bruce," she said.

"No one is better than him. Look, if you don't mind have Babs go through the normal channels we know Ra's has used to fund things. Maybe there's something more there that could give a reason why he's here," Tim replied.

"Not a problem, I'll let her know. Now, are you planning on coming back sometime tonight?" she asked.

"Sure, I just want to see if there is anything else. You know, if this is connected to the thing Bruce is researching that Spectral Explosion there's every chance we might need a magic user. Do you mind to contact Cassie and ask her to look into any connection Diana or Donna might have with this? Also, see if Spellbinder could be of some help. She might know something we don't yet. Wait, do you hear anyth..." he said before the line went dead.

"Robin," she said carefully.

"Oooooo, what is this? Is it a nifty toy radio? Bah, sounds like a boring channel," a chilling voice said.

"Joker!" Stephanie shouted.

"Congratulations, ding, ding, ding! Well, it's been fun!" he said before the line died.

(Batcave - near the Super Computer)

Stephanie didn't waste time trying to do anything. Instead she got the exactly location the comm had been in and ran to her motorcycle. She needed to find Tim, she needed this to be okay. They had dated on and off for the last three years, but it was only in the last six months in which the two of them had become nearly everything to each other. She felt the motorcycle roar to life before she sped out of the cave and toward the direction Tim had been in. The ride only took eight minutes, but it felt like an eternity. When she arrived she found nothing except for the broken remains of the comm itself.

"Bruce... he... he's got him," she managed to get out.

"Who?" Bruce asked through the comm.

"Tim... he's got Tim!" she exclaimed.

It didn't take Bruce long to get there. It didn't take her long to explain what happened. Within seconds Bruce contacted Babs, Dick, and Cassandra. The three of them agreed to help in the search, but for Stephanie it didn't matter. She was going to find Tim. She was going to make that son of a bitch who took him pay for anything he did to Tim.

(Twenty hours later - Jolly Jack Candy Warehouse)

She looked at the empty room. It was the last shred of information she could get out of Tommy 'Two Tone' Jones. The hired muscle was one of the few regulars that worked with the Joker. He told her about the Jolly Jack, how Joker was using it again, and from the looks of the room Joker might have been here a few days ago, but everything was gone now. Whatever he was planning he moved it somewhere else.

The entire world started crashing down. Everything, everything was trying its hardest to fall apart at the seams. Her mind rushed back to Tim's room. She could see his chest, the scars, the bruises, but none of it mattered. He was beautiful. He told her the same, and she believed him. She wasn't vain, but she liked hearing him tell her how beautiful she was. He touched her, and although they shared the blissful peace that only comes with amazing sex, his touch ignited her need again. Within minutes she found herself impaled on him again. Her hips held by his surprisingly strong hands, and she loved every minute of it.

The memory faded though. A small echo of a foot step was more than enough to bring her back to reality. She swirled around in time to see someone else she was looking for. She swung at the body before her and connected. She felt her fist push against the cheek of the other woman. She stumbled back and fell on her ass. She rubbed it and looked up at the girl across from her.

"Owww, whatcha do that for?!" Harley cried.

"Where's Robin?!" she shouted.

"Bird Brain, I don't know! Why?" she asked.

"Joker kidnapped him!" she seethed.

"Mr. J? I wouldn't know. I don't deal with Puddin no more," she said

"Where is Joker?!" Stephanie asked as she grabbed Harley and slammed her hard against the wall.

"Back up there Bratgirl!" Harley said as she kicked up and connected with Stephanie's knee.

The two of them squared off. Somewhere deep inside of Stephanie a voice said this was stupid. She knew Harley and Joker weren't together anymore. The truth was Harley was with Ivy and Selina. It didn't matter though. She had been connected to Joker, and because of that she had to know something. Before Harley could get another word out she attacked.

Harley managed to block, fight, and defend herself, but she wasn't someone who was growing steadily sure that she was losing everything important to her. In the end Stephanie and Harley both stood at opposite ends of the room, holding their ribs, panting.

"Bratgirl, I'm guessing that birdbrain means a lot to you. I really don't know what Mr. J's doing, but I do know he hasn't been here in a while. I make it look like he has so everyone will leave this place alone. I like to come in and think, but you should try Arkham. Mr. J talked about getting back at Bratman inside of the heart of it. I'm betting if he's got birdbrain anywhere it's there," Harley said.

"Why would you help me?" she asked.

"Momma?" a small voice asked from the distance.

Stephanie turned to see a little girl, barely four years old with bleached white skin, green tinted hair, and the most amazing blue eyes she had ever seen. She looked back at Harley who walked toward the little girl and picked her up.

"Momma said she would be right back, didn't she?" Harley said.

Stephanie could see how Harley was hiding the pain in her ribs, her joints, and the tiredness that was setting in.

"Because, I know what it's like to see the chance to lose everything. Please, let's keep this all between you, me, and the room," Harley said.

Stephanie nodded and left. If Harley was right there was no telling what was happening, but it was the only lead she had. It would be suicide to go into Arkham alone, but Harley had said it was Joker's way to torment Bruce. Deciding that she needed to tell him what she learned she tapped her comm.

(Zatanna's house - Living Room)

Madam Xanadu looked at the others as they saw the events play out before them. The entire ordeal with the Joker was terrible, horrible, but unfortunately it could play to their advantage. Batman would need to get into Arkham to rescue Robin, and when he did they could follow. He would be more concerned about the boy than them.

"He's a right bastard, but this doesn't feel right," Epiphany said.

They looked at the daughter of the East Street Mobster who shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm just saying this is the kind of thing Dad would do," she said.

"Love, we don't have much other choice," John said.

"I know, and I get it, but it feels wrong. We could have warned Batman about this. Nimue saw it coming," Epiphany said.

"This is bigger than Batman, Robin, or any one person. We're talking about millions of people. I don't like to do things this way either, but we don't have a choice," Zatanna replied.


	6. Fragile

_**Chapter 6 Fragile**_

_**"On and on the rain will fall**_

_**Like tears from a star like tears from a star**_

_**On and on the rain will say**_

_**How fragile we are how fragile we are**_

_**How fragile we are how fragile we are" - Fragile by Sting**_

(Arkham Asylum - Medical Building - Basement)

Joker looked at the boy lying in a heap. He'd beaten him, tortured him, injected him with various chemicals, but the boy was still holding on to his sanity. Somehow there was something the boy had worth fighting for. He walked toward him and saw the boy attempting to sit up.

"You know birdboy I've thought about this a bit, and I don't want to hog the fun," he said.

Tim watched as the Joker stepped to the side and he could see another person. There was no way he could hold his breath long enough not to be affected, but Bruce had taught him how to control his emotions, and he needed to do that right now. He felt the spray of gas around him and felt it sticking to his skin. The vile smell drifted around him. He looked up to see the cloth headed Scarecrow looking back at him.

"What do you fear boy?" he asked.

The room began to spin, become distant, and soon both Joker and Scarecrow was gone. He could see a table sitting across from him. On it was several broken objects. Slowly he got to his feet and walked toward the table. He reached down and touched one of them. He knew it was part of Stephanie's old Spoiler uniform, but once he touched it the torn piece of cloth turned to ash.

"It happens to us all of the time," a voice said.

He turned to see Jason standing behind him. He knew Jason, had worked with him before, and still did from time to time. The former Robin walked toward Tim and looked at the table.

"Everything we touch is ruined. It's passed down from the old man. He brought us in and it ruined us. A part of our lives is simply gone. My mom, friends, relationships, everything is gone. I might not have pulled the trigger on them, but it's just the same as if I did," Jason said.

"No, that's not how it is," Tim said.

"Sure it is. That pretty blond girlfriend of yours. She's going to be ruined. What kind of life do you think the two of you will have? Family? Kids? Maybe a nice little brick house with a white picket fence? It's bullshit man. She's going to die. Joker, Ra's, or someone is going to do it. More than likely they'll rape the living shit out of her when they do, and she'll have you to thank for it. You allowed it to happen. Bringing her in, letting her get close, it was stupid. The only thing Bruce taught us that makes any kind of sense is to push everyone away," Jason replied.

"No!" Tim screamed.

(Outside of the delusion)

Dr. Crane took a seat and watched as Robin screamed out. He turned toward the Joker who smilingly his twisted smile at the boy.

"Not that I object to getting to do my research, but why the boy? I thought you wanted Batman," Crane said.

"Of course I want Batman, but this is different. Someone reached out and let me in a deal. I get to drive Bratman completely crazy, do whatever I want, as long as I can keep him busy. So, capturing the kid was the best choice. It'll drive Bratman insane if I break him down," Joker said.

"Who reached out?" Crane asked.

"What does it matter Craney old boy?! We get to destroy Batman!" Joker exclaimed.

(Outside Arkham Island)

Bruce looked at the gates of Arkham as he thought about everything he had learned in the past twenty two hours. Tim was being held hostage by the Joker, inside of the Asylum, and was being forced to suffer whatever the demented psychopath wanted to put him through. That was bad enough, but the fact that Harley Quinn had admitted to Stephanie this was a trap set for him made it even worse. Anything happening to Tim was because of him. His son was suffering because of the Joker's sick obsession with him. Lying directly on top of that worry was the even bigger worry over Gotham. The Spectral Explosion could be happening any day, any time, and he was no closer to finding how to predict it and its source than he was two days ago.

His comm buzzed for a moment and he tapped it.

"What?" he replied.

"Bruce, do you need me there?" a tender voice asked.

Diana was still at the manor. She had stayed when she learned about what happened with Tim. She didn't do it to be a distraction, but rather her being there actually helped keep everyone from becoming overly stressed. She had helped Alfred several times, and while her own deductive skills were still far below his own her perspective had helped them from falling into the familiar pattern of Joker's usual haunts. She pointed out that it was likely he didn't want to be found before he was ready to be found. While her own experience with the Joker was limited to when he helped Luthor's Injustice Gang she had seen enough of him to know that he only wanted the lime light on him when he was good and ready.

"Not yet," he replied.

He looked to his side and saw Stephanie. Normally she was more carefree, energetic, and cheerful, but at the moment she looked like a woman on a mission with a purpose. He knew she would have come regardless of what he said, so instead he informed her that they would be taking the backway into the Island. He started walking away from the gate and she followed him. The direction he walked lead toward the edge of the bridge and he dove off of the side of it. She followed suit and the glider packs both of them had put on before leaving the cave activated. She felt the wind suddenly lift her entire body and a moment later she was simply drifting behind Bruce. She followed him as he moved around the side of the island all of the way until he started to go toward the cliff side. Once there a large rock seemed to split open and move. It barely finished before they flew through it. She looked back to see it closing and then looked ahead as Bruce made his glider retract. She pressed the switch to do the same and landed on something metallic.

"Please, input door override command," a computerized voice asked.

"Andrea," he said.

"Command accepted," the computerized voice said.

A large steel door moved and Stephanie walked with him into what looked like another version of the Batcave. It was slightly smaller than the one she had been in before, but it looked to be just as advanced. Bruce removed the glider pack and she followed suit. A moment later she watched as he activated the computer and begin pulling up hundreds of holographic screens. The screens projected around the both of them and she realized that they were security feeds.

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

"A trail," he answered. A moment later a single feed began to glow red and he closed the rest of them making it enhance in size. She looked at what he was showing her. There was two guards, both with horrific grins on their faces. She looked at the label of the feed and shook her head.

"The Medical building basement?" she asked.

"It's the one place security cameras were removed from, and it's also one of the oldest parts of the facility. Joker has been locked in the basement cells before, and has referred to them as home. It makes perfect sense," Bruce said.

"When I find him..." she started before he touched her shoulder.

"We'll deal with him when we get there. If you're going to do this Stephanie your head needs to be here. You can't be focusing on anger," Bruce said.

She wanted to tell him he was wrong, but instead she nodded. It didn't matter. As long as Tim was okay, but if he wasn't, if he was hurt, there wasn't a pit large enough for the Joker to crawl into.

(Outside of the Asylum)

John looked at the way Batman had entered the Island and shook his head.

"Well, that didn't work," he said.

"We let that boy get captured, tortured, and the Lord of Hosts knows what else for nothing," Epiphany replied.

"No, Batman isn't here to stop us from getting in. Right now he's trying to rescue Robin, and that means we have time to do this. John, see if your hell fire can burn through the gate lock. Epiphany, I need you to create a barrier that will trap the madness, sorrow, fear, death, and everything else on the island here. Zatanna, I'm going to need you to call on your spirit guide and make him take a physical form. He'll need to stand guard at the gate and ensure that none of the inmates escape. We have very little time, and we need to move quickly," Nimue said.

John looked at Nimue and simply nodded. She did have a point. If they were going to get in it would be now. He flicked open his lighter and watched as the hellfire danced around inside of the magically protected lighter. He lit a cigarette and took a drag off of it. The smoke filled his lungs and once he was sure the cherry of the cigarette was ready he pushed it against the gate. It touched the steel gates and began causing it to turn white hot. As he pushed it further in the piece of the gate he was touching began to melt to slag. With in moments he pulled his hand back and looked at the hole where part of the locking mechanism had been. He took out another cigarette and repeated the process. He turned to see 'Pip as she pulling several vials and bottles out of her bag of tricks.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't proud of her. She was without a doubt the most skilled Alchemist he had ever seen. She began mixing a potion together and after a few moments she began to chant in Latin and he watched as the potion began to swirl and foam. Seconds later a red mist began to float out and it started to engulf the island. The last hitch in the plan was Zatanna. He looked toward her as a blinding flash covered her and beside her stood an eight foot tall white rabbit.

John took another take at the rabbit. It was wearing a vest, holding a gold watch which was attached to a pocket, seemed to have one a pair of reading glasses, and was wearing a top hat.

"It is very irregular for me to be in the physical world my dear," it said in a thick English accent.

"Bloody hell, don't you see enough of those things in your shows?" John asked.

"Sir, I will have you know this is a form I chose because I feel it the most comforting. I could have chosen a dragon, or perhaps a decapated knight, but I feel this form will be of more aid to you," the rabbit said.

"You're a looney," he replied.

John finished with the last part of the locking mechanism and pushed on the gate. It slid back and he continued to push it back until it was completely open. The sound of an alarm began to go off and Nimue looked at him.

"You said take care of the gate," he stated.


End file.
